


Your Pain Almost Destroyed You

by camichats



Category: Charmed (TV 1998)
Genre: Evil Wyatt Halliwell, Gen, Not Leo Wyatt Friendly, Spells & Enchantments, Unchanged Future (Charmed 1998)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:27:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21676024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/camichats/pseuds/camichats
Summary: When Wyatt was a baby, Leo cast a spell on Piper to keep her from getting upset so that she wouldn’t fall apart. Almost twenty years later, Chris finds out that Wyatt isn’t exactly fulfilling the role everyone cast him in, and Wyatt casts that same spell on his brother.
Relationships: Chris Halliwell & Wyatt Halliwell
Comments: 13
Kudos: 113





	Your Pain Almost Destroyed You

**Author's Note:**

> So anybody reading this probably knows, but I'm gonna say it anyway: title is from after the spell on Piper breaks and Leo is defending his decision "your anger almost destroyed the city and your pain almost destroyed you"

It shouldn't have been as surprising as it was. There'd been talk of a rising power in the Underworld, and Wyatt hadn't cared. When Chris pointed out how strange his apathy was, Wyatt had simply shrugged and said, "There's always talk of a new power rising and it never goes anywhere. The Elders are just worried now that the Power of Three isn't doing all their dirty work for them." Wyatt hadn't been calm about anything to do with demons after Mom died, but as the power in the Underworld grew, so did Wyatt's confidence that everything would be fine. 

So no, it _shouldn't_ have been surprising when Chris came home to find demons kneeling in front of Wyatt, but it _was_. Wyatt sensed him the moment the door opened, glancing back at him calmly. 

The demons' eyes followed. None of them made a move to stand, but a tilt there and a gesture at the hand here, and it was clear they were awaiting the order to attack. 

"Leave," Wyatt ordered them, eyes fixed on Chris like he was afraid Chris would leave. 

"Sire," one of them tried to protest. 

"Now," he said, voice firm and commanding. 

They all bent their heads in respect before leaving, most of them shimmering, a few phasing or flaming away. It was all too real to be a dream, but a part of Chris felt like it had to be anyways. Their condo was the same as always, the long glass table half-covered in Chris's books and notes and journals, the trash can mostly full and probably needing to be changed, and Wyatt's jackets piling up on the side of the couch closest to the door where he threw them every day when he got home. "Wyatt?" Chris asked, voice faint. "What's- what are you doing inviting demons to our _home_? Why were they bowing to you? What the hell is going on?" 

"I solved it." Wyatt came closer, his boots muted thuds on the floor. 

"Solved what? What are you talking about?" 

"Good witches die every week. In our family, it's just a matter of time. Aunt Prue and our grandmother died before they turned thirty." 

Thoughts were zooming around Chris's head like it was a goddamn freeway, and the dots connected before he could get it out. "You're the new power." He stumbled back half a step in shock, but Wyatt was there, gripping his hand tightly. 

"Demons-" 

"Demons die faster than witches! Are you trying to kill yourself? Mom's gone, and it fucking sucks, but I can't lose you too!" 

"You won't," Wyatt said, sounding so sure that Chris almost believed it. Almost. Wyatt could make everything sound possible if he tried. "Chris, listen to me. Witches die, and demons die, but leaders survive so much longer. The Elders have been around for millennia, the original Source was around for almost as long. I'm more powerful than all of them, if I take care of it now, we'll be safe." 

"You." 

"What?" Wyatt asked, confused. 

Chris swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling dry. "You'll be safe. Not us." 

Wyatt's expression grew determined, and he stepped closer, into Chris’s space. He had a commanding presence even when it was just the two of them. " _Us_ , Chris. It's not just the Underworld I'll be ruling. I have a plan, and in the end, you'll be safe, I swear it." 

"What plan?" 

Wyatt shook his head; he wasn't going to share, not yet. Maybe not ever, but definitely not right now when he thought Chris couldn’t handle it. "You're all I have. I would never risk you." 

It was on the tip of his tongue to say that Wyatt had already put him at risk by inviting demons to their home, but something more important was glaring out at him. "Our family. I'm not all you have, we still have Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige and all our cousins. We're not alone just because we lost Mom. We've still got Dad," he added as an afterthought. Dad had never been there for Chris, but he was always there when Wyatt wanted him. 

Wyatt's expression twisted. "No we don't. We don't need any of them, and we sure as hell don't need that piece of shit." 

Chris couldn't be more shocked right now if he tried. Wyatt and Dad had always gotten along. While Wyatt had been off with Dad learning how to be a whitelighter-- and an Elder, Chris suspected-- or playing catch, Chris had been in the restaurant with Mom, clearing plates or doing dishes. There was no doubt that Wyatt loved her, but he'd always been closer with Dad. "What are you talking about?" 

"Leo. He wouldn't help you if he had to lift a damn finger, and I’m not going to keep around just to hurt you." 

Hurt, Chris tried to defend him. "That's not true, he's busy being an Elder." 

"I asked him to teach you how to be a whitelighter. You know what he said?" 

Chris could only stare up at him. 

"He said you'd never learn because you didn't have the power for it. Can you believe that? It's such _bullshit_ , it's like everyone forgets that you've vanquished demons all by yourself just because I’m around. I know how much you wanted to learn, but I can't teach you so I asked and he- he said _that_." 

"He said that?" Chris asked quietly. He'd always known that Leo thought more of Wyatt than him, but that hurt like an energy ball to the chest. They were family. He didn’t have Wyatt’s strength, but all siblings were like that. Sure it was more _obvious_ with Wyatt, but you were supposed to love your kids even with all their flaws. Being less powerful wasn’t even a flaw, but their father couldn’t manage to get past it. 

"Yeah," Wyatt said. At least he looked sorry about it, but in the next moment, he was assuring Chris that it didn't matter, because all Chris needed was him, and Wyatt would never let him down, not ever. Wyatt was talking like it would be the two of them against the entire world, and Chris was spiraling; he could feel it happen. He wanted to stop, but words were swirling in his head as his breathing grew shallow and the air turned hot and muggy around him. It felt like an instant before he fell over the edge, but Wyatt's grip on his hand turned into a warm comfort. From his touch, up Chris's arm, to his heart and through the rest of his body was a cool calmness. "It's okay," Wyatt said softly. "Everything will be fine." 

Chris leaned into him as his breathing evened out and his sweat cooled. Why had he been panicking? Wyatt was right, everything would be fine; he'd take care of it like he always did. 


End file.
